Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Ok 3/5
Kiss at their best. Including the best ballad of the 76's Beth
I just never got into Kiss. They are always just ok to me with a couple of shining songs. Given I'm not super into hard rock anymore, but even when I was much more into the genre they didn't do it for me. "Beth" is one of the greatest power ballads of all time, but it is also just the epitome of having a power ballad in the middle of a rock album trend in the late 70s and early 80s. It's a good album with some great moments, it's just not an all time great for me.
Classic but kinda tame these days
I was never a big fan. I recognized a few of the songs. But didn't really move me in any way
Witzig
Apart of a couple of classic Ms the album is not that good
Kinda silly but fun enough to listen to
Never been a kiss fan, but I like a couple hits for that kind of nostalgic factor. Opening track is catchy... I like that little bass hook. I can't argue with this one being on the list, but it's not really my thing. KISS kinda missed me. 3/5
I think there’s a limited window in one’s life where they can be introduced to Kiss and have it click. I am well outside that window, but I can appreciate that this wasn’t made for me. These songs sound really basic, dated and dumb to me, but I’m sure that misses the point.
Without the makeup and theatrics as a distraction, it is really just straightforward 70's rock. Nothing special, but engaging with hook-y lyrics and the requisite sweet Rock-n-Roll love song (Beth) acting as a palate cleanser toward the end.
Detroid Rock City is a banger. I didn't really care for Great Expectations or Beth. Do You Love Me is too repetitive.
I recognize a few of the songs. Over all I enjoyed it listening to the whole album, but not my style. I think I have a lot of baggage around KISS. Not my type of band, as they have been very commercialized and associated with philosophies that are inconsistent with what I value. I would not put this on a favourite list.
Not the greatest lyricists. Good for dancing at a party or in a club.
I never know what to expect from a KISS album, but they always deliver what I need and nothing more than expected.
Listenable rock. Kiss has no instrumental or vocal talent but can put on a show.
I forgot how great a song Shout It Out Loud was
Surprised me. Didn’t expect to like this one that much. But it was quite good. Not great, but good. Just some above average hard rock. 7/10 Top 3: 1. Detroit Rock City 2. Shout It Out Loud 3. King Of The Night Time World
You probably didn't know this, Heath, but if you check the Grand Ballroom and see which group is booked there this evening, I think your tune may change a wee bit. Mini Kiss. The cover band. Yeah, I'm not with them. -Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 (2015)
This was more atmospheric than I was expecting. Unfortunately, the lackluster vocals and repetitive nature drag this album down, although it's still infectious enough to make you want to turn off your brain and rock out. Favorite track: King of the Night Time World
It was alright. Not overly memorable, not terrible. Maybe a little repetitive.
Cheesy
Some serviceable songs, but not really a Kiss fan.
very decent album without any timeless hits
Pretty solid early rock. Not bangers, but listenable and enjoyable.
very just ok
3/5. Although, yes it can be very cheesy on most days, I would jam to this. The lyrics are so simple and the instrumentation isn't crazy as well but throwing this on at 11 really shows where Kiss are coming from. However, there are songs that go on too long despite only being less than 4 minutes long. The hits are great but not enough to bring this above a 3.
It's been about 46 years since I've listened to this album, courtesy of my older brother who blasted this album on an 8-track stereo. Detroit, Rock City, and Beth (such a contrast from the other songs), merit this 4 stars. King of the Night Time World, Shout It Out Loud, and Do You Love Me are others I liked. Flaming Youth was a "new" discovery listening to it with the adult perspective. Lyrics are not the deepest, and a couple of filler songs in there, but most are pretty rockin' numbers.
2.8/5 Yeah that was Kiss. Best track: Beth
Detroit rock city might be their best and most impactful track. And Beth is at least there second most popular. The rest may well all be the same song. It's funny that back when I was really into Kiss I was too young to understand how horny the songs were, and now it's clear you really need to be an 11 year old straight boy to appreciate them. The whole thing would be substantially elevated if they (at least Gene and Paul) had a bit more awareness of their silliness, even while they were making millions.
Classic
Ehh it's fine. Pretty tame. Not the largest fan of KISS as they always come across as very, very goofy. Hey at least it's short.
KISS has always been a band based more on marketing than a band based on musicianship...at least to me. I think this album needs to be heard and probably should be on this list, as the history of music can't be complete without a listen to a KISS album. Saying that, I would give this album a 5-star review for inclusion reasons, but the music is "eh" for me. There is good stuff on here, but a song like "Great Expectations" is one gruff Gene Simmons voice from being a power ballad from the 80's. Points for foresight, I guess. Detroit Rock City, Flaming Youth, Shout it Out Loud and Do You Love Me are really good tracks. So listen, see what you think and then go buy a KISS doll/t-shirt/lunch box since that's really what they want you to do.
High camp, so so music.
The best and worst of rock n roll on one album
Pretty average
1. Detroit Rock City - random intro but the actual song was ok pretty boppy. 2. King of the Night Time World - interesting transition from the previous song. 3. God of Thunder - I don’t really like the way this one is sung, the music is ok. 4. Great Expectations - I didn’t like the lyrics of this one or the sound at all really. 5. Flaming Youth - not too bad but don’t love it. 6. Sweet Pain - not great I liked the guitar tho 7. Shout It Out Loud - I had heard this one before, not too bad pretty catchy. 8. Beth - I heard this in Glee lol…didn’t like it then or now haha…wasn’t coming here for ballads 9. Do You Love Me - I don’t actually mind the chorus of this one, it’s not too bad. 10. Rock and Roll Party - instrumental. I hadn’t really listened to kiss apart from their hits so it was interesting for me. It wasn’t too bad, definitely the sound I was expecting so wasn’t too shocked. I don’t love the singing style but it’s good for what it is, definitely influential.
Dads favorite band as a kid. Detroit rock city and Beth are obviously the best. The rest was alright. Rating: 3.4
Every time I hear the song Detroit Rock City, it reminds me of the movie of the same name. The movie follows some teenagers who are trying to get tickets to see KISS in concert. I'm not sure why this version of the song had a 1:30 skit about someone getting into a car and going for a drive, but the song itself is fantastic! There's also a 1:25 song at the end of the album (Rock 'N' Roll Party) that is just crowd cheering noises. Fuck skits. KISS were so commercialized. Like comically so. I don't know why they became the focus of the parent groups calling them satanic. They're one of the lightest, most synthesized rock groups, almost verging on pop rock or some shit. Keith Moon lived a more rock and roll lifestyle than any member of KISS, and Alice Cooper was beheading himself on stage most nights, but KISS's pyrotechnics and Gene Simmons' long ass tongue was just too much for the parents. Maybe it's because KISS sang about banging things, but fuck so did the Who (Squeeze Box for example). You know how The Monkees were a farcical pop band who's only reason for existing was a tv show? KISS was the Monkees of rock music. Favourite songs: Shout It Out Loud, God of Thunder, Detroit Rock City, Beth Least favourite songs: Great Expectations, Rock 'N' Roll Party 3/5
Fun listen! I found that the recording of this record sounded almost as if it was live? Especially on songs like God of Thunder. I had to check to make sure I wasn't listening to a live version but nope! Surprised to hear I recognized a lot of these songs, even though these aren't many of the typical really popular KISS songs. Good album.
Yeah, I'm not an American Teenager so totally did not get into Kiss. But it is a fun listen and I can see the appeal. Fave track: Detroit Rock City
I'm too young and too British to have ever gone through a KISS phase. I can appreciate this in a kind of Spinal Tap way, I guess, but lawd, don't focus too much on the lyrics! 😆 Fave track - eh, "King of the Night Time World" maybe? I am the kinda douchebag that liked the album intro and outro sound collages more than any of the songs, though. ✌️
Album starts strong but quickly descends into a parody of itself. When the songs on Spinal Tap hit harder you know it's not a good sign
Solid Americana heavy rock, wiith a typical 70’s sound, but nothing exceptional. Beth is a nice ballade though
It's pretty impressive that they were able to turn elementary song writing into a career spanning 24 albums. They def have some solid hits here but most of this album feels like filler.
Great classic KISS. Prior to ever listening to them, seeing their outfits and their album artwork, I was expecting one thing from them, and then I heard them and was totally at a loss.
Pretty unusual to be honest - not what I expected at all. Theatrical rather than Glam. It's not bad really.
It is proper rock. But it doesn't get to me fully. Nothing breathtaking.
This is a tough one. KISS is so cheesy, but they started out with a cool, badass concept. Gene Simmons is just the grossest, most immature person. His obnoxious opinions on music are laughable because he’s only just barely a musician himself. This is probably the best KISS has ever been musically? I do love Detroit Rock City, that’s a great song. But the rest is just formulaic rubbish. I’m going to be kind though and split the score right down the middle because I did have some nostalgic fun while listening.
The rockers are fun, the ballads are bad
There are a few really nice songs and some that can be skipped. Nothing exceptional here.
AJ: Rock City rocks. Beth rules because of Paul Rudd in Role Models. Shout it Out Loud sounds like it was made for That 70’s show.
It was fine but definitely don't want to listen to it again
J'ai pas mal eu ce à quoi je m'attendais en partant un album de Kiss. En aucun cas mauvais, mais je n'ai pas été du tout surpris par quoique ce soit sur l'album. Évidemment Detroit Rock City reste un gros banger, mais le rest de l'album est du shock rock comme on le connait. 7/10
besser als erwartet, aber trotzdem nix besonderes
For some reason, I was obsessed with kiss as a small child despite only ever listening to two of their songs, one of which is one this album (shout it out loud). However, I never really stuck with them as I grew up and haven't listened to them in quite a while so I found my nostalgia levels to be minimal. If it had also included rock and roll all night it would've been a perfect kiss album for me. As it stands, however, this was a cheesy glam rock album that has the meatloaf energy (though not as fun) of always feeling like charismatic rock anthems made specifically for 14 year olds. As a 21 year old, I now get why 5 year old me liked it so much because the lyrics and sound are a completely inoffensive shiny object that sounds nice if completely shallow. Crazy that weirdos in the 70s and 80s thought this was too evil and inappropriate for the general public when it's actually suitable for ages 2 and up.
Honestly better than I expected. I though this would be some unbearable garbage "pop" rock, but it was pretty tame. I can't say I want to listen to this again, but I did not mind this first time.
Embarrassingly over-the-top tosh. It's hard to not rock out with your cock out. Or jam out with your clam out, whichever is more comfortable for you.
Some classic songs here. It's certainly a vibe. I'm not sure I'd want to listen to this particular album again though. KISS has better music than this on offer.
i probably haven’t listened to this album in over 25 years, so i felt like i was coming into this with a fresh set of ears. this should be interesting. first and foremost, KISS is a great live band. their stage show is indeed a sight to behold. case in point, the band was struggling early in until the release of KISS - alive! and then word started circulating about the power of their live show. KISS is an example of a band that continued to put out albums in order to justify touring. there’s nothing necessarily wrong with that; in my opinion, KISS music just translates better in a live setting. destroyer was the first studio album after the release of KISS - alive! and so it was bound to do well. this album is chock full of live staples (“detroit rock city”, “god of thunder”, “shout it out loud”, “beth”). and with bob ezrin producing, it was bound to make the band sound better. one thing glaringly obvious: “paul songs” are much better than “gene songs”. gene simmons has always had an ENORMOUS ego, even in 1976 when the band was still trying to find its way. just listen to “great expectations” and try not to laugh at how full of himself he is and how hokey the song comes across. KISS as musicians and songwriters are PAINFULLY average. paul is a decent singer, i guess. i can’t help but think it is merely a vanity project when gene takes lead vocals, because he really can’t sing. and the band playing their instruments just seem to go through the motions when playing. to be honest, if it wasn’t for the reputation of their live shows and their decades of merchandising anything they can put their name on, i don’t know if they would still be around. destroyer has a few decent songs with ample amounts of filler. to put this album on an “album you must listen to before you die” list seems a bit misguided. if you must represent KISS on this list, KISS - alive! would be the obvious choice.
Kiss my ass
Some great songs and some super lame-o songs even this out to a 3.
Cheesy, sleazy, and just entertaining enough to please me, this album had me chuckling and enjoying at least the first half. It took me back to a simpler time playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, unlocking the KISS level. At 16 years old, this was one of the coolest albums in the world to me. Anyway, hail satan and all that.
Wake up, losers, it’s cock rock o’clock!
This album changed Rock n Roll forever. Looking back on it now, it is hard to remember just how much of a big deal this album was. Standouts: Beth, Shout it Out Loud, Detroit Rock City Good to listen to, but it has lost a bit of 'bigness' after all these years. 3.5/5
I'm a bit surprised to find this album on here instead of Alive!, just because that was such a monster hit album for them. Anyway, the songs are simplistic, the lyrics are completely inane, but if you don't take it too seriously it's kind of fun. They did know how to write songs that had a solid hook. 3 stars.
Beth!
Well I wasn’t sure what to expect from this. I obviously know of Kiss, but more as a parody of themselves. I was kind of hoping for balls out, gleeful, glam kind of rock and roll and was a little let down by what I heard. Won’t be joining the Kiss army any time soon I’m glad to say.
Pretty decent album but nothing to write home about. I put it in the background and kind of forgot about it. Great Expectations did stand out for me.
It was a good album. Several songs were recognizable. I would listen to some songs again but not the whole album.
Straightforward 70s hard rock album. Detroit Rock City is the clear highlight, I like the guitar solos on that one. Other than that the songs are simple and catchy, however the vocals are goofy at times. God of Thunder is guilty of this, although the riff is memorable.
Corny lyrics, annoying voice but kiss still manage to pump out some decent songs though. Band had good energy and fun style of playing but there is only so much of that you can do before it gets boring and bored I got. Struggled to pay attention in the second half, I could probably do with another listen though because I really wasn’t paying attention. 3.5/5 (Cover is a 4/5)
I enjoyed the rock part- I did really miss it given what we’ve had. The songs got a little repetitive but it didn’t bother me that much. It was classic.
Realized that I disliked KISS fans more than KISS. The album was decent.
Good
Not Behd
Heavy metal ñoño. Para mí no llega a ser heavy metal. Se aproxima más a baladas pop. Un 3.
Bien. Más escuchable de lo que pensaba.
Honestly, I have nothing to complain about—they have a good sound, and it surprised me. The issue is that in the very unlikely chance I only listened to it half-heartedly because I was on RT-2 on a Thursday at 4pm the day after I get my wisdom teeth removed…I won’t reallyyyyy be itching to listen to it again. Do remember though that heavy metal is not really my genre.
The variety of sound is a definite plus for this genre, so I was tempted to give it a 4, but I don’t think I can. A very strong 3. An addicting album that pleasantly surprised me. It’s a 4 at heart, but a 3 on paper.
First time listening. Serviceable hard rock. But, I have a take... KISS is a pre-boy band. Think about it, it's all there. You see it in the individual personalities of the members, the constant merchandising, the obsession with image over music, all of the band provides vocal contributions, it fits perfectly. Except that it's not marketed towards preteen and teenage girls, it's marketed to dudes of my father's generation (and maybe even before that). On this record is particular, no individual member's musicianship overshadows the other. "Detroit Rock City" is fun, but the album doesn't really retain that intensity much at all afterwards. They remain a singles band to me. Maybe some other time.
Sits somewhere between a 3-4. Some classics for sure... but also some skips.
Meh
I'm sure not a popular opinion, not a huge fan. Like Beth though
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would! God of Thunder, Great Expectations, and Beth were favorites.
Kids In Satans Service? Det är ju underhållande i alla fall.
Stämsolofest! Det är konstigt att man inte snubblade på KIZZ när man var liten. Jag hade nog fallit för det 1978.
Fun 70's dad rock, solid songwriting, great bluesy guitar solos, and more hits than I would have expected on any one Kiss record. I am only familiar with the radio hits.
Wow, I had no idea how much power of their songs are sapped by the studio. I’m familiar with (and like!) live versions of Detroit Rock City and Beth, and it’s almost criminal how mundane they sound here. I checked out the reimagined “Resurrected” version of this album and it was a huge improvement.
I was kind of dreading listening to this for some reason... It was actually a really fun listen. It's quite a sexy album isn't it? I also find it walks that fine line well between the humour of heavy metal and still being remotely cool. Unless that's just my interpretation I don't know. I can't exactly figure out what I think about it but I kind of enjoyed it in a light hearted way. Pretty inoffensive and classic, not too cringe but a good dose of cringe for good measure. Then Beth is a cute heart-felt song which was unexpected. Good 70s vibes. Overall I get kindof rock opera theatrical vibes too which is fun! I basically had no preconceptions or ideas about Kiss before listening to this so it's a pure reaction. OH and it really reminded me of playing endless hours of guitar hero with my brother as a tween which is fun! That style of guitar and drums together is quite fun.
Didn't mind this at all, wasn't the most mind blowing thing but good fun
Not awful.
After listening to this album, all I can say is, wow, I don't care about KISS at all. At least not this album. I was actually surprised by how little I knew this album, always assuming that I knew more KISS than I do. Completely forgettable album. That said, I wouldn't turn it off, either. Perfectly fine to listen to in the car and not pay attention to it.
Detroit rock is the song the band is known for but the rest of the album is mid
Come dice la 4 avevo 'Great Expectations' invece non mi piace molto... Bella 'Shout it out loud', ma in generale è un album medio
These songs all sounded the same and I didn’t recognize one of them. Having said that, I do like Kiss’ sound and their lyrics make me laugh so I’d come back to this one!
Nooit de moeite genomen om echt naar Kiss te luisteren behalve 'I was made for loving you' natuurlijk, maar dit was best aardig eigenlijk.
Rock and Roll!
Pretty good album, but I feel like KISS gets overrated a lot
Destroyer is the fourth album by American hard rock band KISS. After the band's breakthrough third album "Alive!", this top 20 charting album quickly became KISS's first platinum one (double platinum). This heavy art rock album may have been the band's most experimental, but this didn't make it any less good. It will appeal to some and turn others off. However, for me it was a fun album to listen to as I enjoyed listening to some more songs from the classic hard rock band KISS.
For me this blends into classic rock, good but not standout
I like Kiss just fine, never a big fan. This had a few good ones though.
It's good fun It didn't blow my socks off.
Liked it more than I thought I would, but still nothing amazing. I wouldn't return to it, but I'll likely continue to sing along to the singles. 3/5
I didn’t realize this album was so short. Detroit Rock City was best song but that’s not great since it was the first song
Well not as anthemic as I expected - although it was more so with every listen - but still an overall fun album. Lyrically it’s a desert - a 70s teenage boy’s fantasy that by 21st century standard is comically unrealistic (OR straight on veiled misogyny and tales of sexual harassment…) but hey it was a different dumber time. I mean - Detroit had some clout as a city back then still.
I always thought of them as a parody band. it's so strange to think of them causing an actual moral panic. The music is fine, middle of the road rock, really nothing to write home about. 2.6
It’s KISS
KISS & makeup.
74/100: Good album, but nothing more than that. In fact, it’s only “good” because it has two fantastic songs on it—“Detroit Rock City” and “Beth.” The rest of this album is a lot of gain and loud power chords. No real precision in refinement of sound here. I guess what else do you expect from hard rock?
Should you listen to a Kiss album before you die? Yeah, probably. They are one of the most well known bands in the history of rock music after all. I don't know if this is the one though, and it turns out they're really not that good. Everything about them feels corporate and manufactured but it still does occasionally result in a compelling moment or two.
Fun album
De va semi chill
I like the drums :)
The middle of the album was especially rough and tacky. I would not voluntarily listen to "Great Expectations" again. The rest of it wasn't too bad. This kind of music isn't necessarily the music you put on when you want to think deeply, and that's okay.
It's hard to not to picture the visuals associated with KISS while listening to this. And, honestly, to do so really removes a lot of the appeal for me. Without the associated spectacle, the music just feels a bit "meh"... even though there are several KISS classics on this album.
I'm the king of the midnight world and you're my headlight queen. I've never listened to this whole album. And I may never again, but there are so many great tunes on it!
Though destroyer, shout it out loud and beth and recognizable, most of the album comes across as simple rock and dumb lyrics... it seems there was a lower threshold for rock success in the 70's.
Of course I have heard of KISS before, and I knew Beth and God gave Rock 'N' Roll To You, but this is the first full KISS album I've listened to, and to be honest I am underwhelmed. Music and songs are alright, as far as 70s (glam) rock goes, but I guess I was expecting something a little more special. But this isn't. It's OK, it's solid, but that's about it. For KISS, the packaging obviously was as important (if not more) as the music. 2.5/5
Cheesy ok rock
I listened to this album and liked the first two songs. Would probably be more fun to listen to on a road trip with my dad. Listening to it without that additional stimuli, I’m wanting to give it a 3. I understand why people like them and this, but it’s doesn’t seem like it would be super sustainable in my listening lists. Totally love Detroit Rock City, and that’s what’s keeping this from being a 2.
Ça manque de glam
Destroyer j'irais pas jusque là quand même
Never my favorite band, but decent songs and a lot of energy. Detroit Rock City is great, everything else is decent.
KISS is a totally fine rock band. This is there best display in my opinion. They’re always more of a singles band rather then having consistently good albums.
Good KISS album. Incredible, Bob Ezrin participated in the writing of all songs. The inclusion of some arrangements for New York philarmonic orchestra makes this album even better
Good album from high school days
I don't know if I was expecting KISS to be on the list, but I like that they are! They're a band that always fascinated me; when I was first getting into classic rock and guitar stuff, I made a point of learning each of the band members' names and "characters," which is kind of cute in hindsight. Alex made a great point in his review that KISS is kind of tame for a hard rock/classic rock band. Sure, they have these personas and the facepaint makes them seem evil or salacious or whatever, but the music is very simple. Of course, they do have some saucier songs out there, but this album feels like a white bread classic rock entry. A couple of hits that I liked, but didn't leave a serious impression. I'll look forward to another album from them with more edge. Favorite tracks: Detroit Rock City, God of Thunder, Do You Love Me. Album art: This is where they shine, they really had the aesthetic nailed down. Love the art style, love their band name font/logo, and the costumes and stuff are legendary. To prove I've still got it, from left to right is Paul Stanley the Starman, Peter Criss the Catman, Ace Frehley (forgot his identity - Space Man?), and Gene Simmons the....Demon maybe? I'm a little rusty. 3/5
As this someone who can't stand Gene Simmons, I have never listened to a KISS album. I went in with an open mind and this wasn't terrible. They're actually pretty cheesy and remind me of Meatloaf
Detroit Rock City and Shout it Out Loud are absolute classic hard rock anthems. But some of the deeper cuts are soooo bad with some of the most banal lyrics the 70s had to offer; case in point Great Expectations...wow! Truly bad! The outlier here is Beth a very nice ballad with some actual genuine emotion. Overall a solid 3.5 🌟
ok
Definitely a bit repetitive but I liked it more than I expected. It's a vibe for sure but I listened while driving a convertible so maybe that helped. Strong 3 stars.
I had their Live album that everyone went crazy over. Destroyer came out next which featured Beth. The guys had no time for that song but the girls liked it so the boys could play the albums more. Sounds like a brilliant strategy although the Wiki notes say Beth wasn't released as a single until the first three singles didn't get traction. Oh well, better to be lucky than smart.
LP
Way more enjoyable than I thought it was going to be and whilst I realise there’s an artifice and facade to the band it wasn’t the worst rock album I’ve heard on this project so far.
Tää on mun mielestä varmaan KISSin paras albumikokonaisuus, mutta siitäkin huolimatta pätee sama mikä muiden bändin levyjen kohdalla: hitit on hittejä ja loput on floppeja. Pari tiukkaa tikkausta ja muuten löysä. Onhan KISSissä ja ABBAssa ollut vähän muutakin samaa kuin ulkonäkö, eikö? 3/5
Ihan jees rokkimenoa
When you look at KISS you expect them to be really heavy but really, it's just some fun, approachable, 70s hard rock. It's nothing spectacular. If it weren't for their image, I can't imagine they would have become as big as they did. But I enjoyed listening.
First Kiss album I ever listened to. I do understand why they were so big in their time. The album is good, but for me no song really jumped out. All songs are good and enjoyable, nothing special.
A few good songs
I was never into Kiss growing up. The boy went through a brief Kiss when he was younger. Most of that was watching "Kiss Meets Scooby Doo" hundreds of times. He hasn't grown out of that music, but has... moved on. So I think I'm familiar with about 1/3 of these songs. First off, the "live" version of "Detroit Rock City" is better. (I say it in quotes because the live Kiss albums had massive amounts of fixes in the studio). "Great Expectations" is a bit on the cringe-y side. The lyrics are, yikes. Originally I thought it was going to be about the book, so I'm glad they did not try to do that. "Beth" is... look, it's their highest charted single, but it is a bit on the schmaltzy side. But I am not going to take anything away from the success of the song. Ultimately, Kiss has always been a party rock band and they really do bring it home with this album. But I don't know, I always feel like their music is just so... pandering. "We know what you want, and we're going to give it to you!" But does it have any merit? The merchandise doesn't. Who wants to be buried in a Kiss coffin? It's a party album, but I don't think at a party "this place needs some Kiss music!" Not my go to band.
Fun album (at times) but lacks substance. Too much filler too - intro to Detroit Rock City, Rock N Roll Party (what was that and why was it needed?). It's hits are great to rock along to (DRC, Shout it Out Loud) or to sing along to (Beth) but the rest is hit or miss. King of the Night Time World is further evidence these guys can write songs you want to bob your head to (even if the lyrics are pure cheese). But God of Thunder was annoying - way too much layered-in studio effects. Plus Gene Simmons isn't a great singer - so I didn't enjoy Great Expectations or Sweet Pain either (though the instrumentation on the latter was fun). Flaming Youth was okay. Like other albums on this list, a few nice hits do not make for an incredible album. Fun, but average.
Interesting album with a story thread. And some talent which I had never fully appreciated before.
Probably the best Kiss album to listen to if you are not a Kiss fan. Has most of their hits on it. Kiss is one of those bands that a song is either a good rock song or complete crap and this album has more good than crap on it.
Cool. Not really my jam but I can definitely see how this appeals to people. Favorite tracks: Beth, Do You Love Me
From the singles I've heard I'd always assumed Kiss were the worst band of all time. Some decent tracks on here though
Levyn alkupuolella ehdin jo pelästyä, että miten voi KISS kuulostaa näin hyvältä. Neljäs biisi sitten rauhoitti tilanteen ja loppulevy oli aika yhdentekevää. Kyllä God of Thunderilla kuitenkin kolmoseen saakka päästään!
Singles are amazing. Everything else pretty ok. Basic Rock N Roll fun
It doesn’t really flow with that tracklist order but it’s otherwise a pretty great rock album. Not their best though
6/10 some good songs but not a fantastic album
5/10. KISS has some nostalgic value for me, so this was fine, but didn't really have a lot of what I'd consider their memorable songs.
Suuuuuuuuuuuuuper campy. 5/10
Dit is voor mij echte onvervalste hardrock. Van die muziek die je op de radio hoort als je door Amerika over de lange wegen rijdt. Niet dat ik daar ervaring in heb. Muziek is lekker melodieus, niet te complex, en niet teveel vreemde overgangen. Het schreeuwerige van de zanger past zelfs bij deze muziek omdat het net niet te overdreven is. Mijn favoriet is "Flaming Youth". ***
More of a 3.5-star album. Fun but a little flat.
Silly, empty sounding but a bit fun in small doses maybe
Beter dan den Boland!
L'album est sympa, ni plus ni moins. Je voulais revenir sur l'épisode que j'ai abordé dans ma dernière critique (celle de Rubber Soul des Beatles). Je vous avais informé qu'alors que je buvais du Glühwein avec une amie et que je m'apprêtais à critiquer le Générateur, une personne avait interrompu ma discussion. Ma critique se concluait par des soupçons d'espionnage, rien de plus. Cela fait maintenant plusieurs jours que je suis malade, ma gorge me fait souffrir le martyre et je suis cloué au lit. Je peux aujourd'hui vous affirmer avec certitude que j'ai été empoisonné, et je crois me souvenir du moment où j'ai baissé ma garde. Reprenons depuis l'arrivée de l'étranger. Cette personne s'est assise à ma diagonale. L'échange s'est tendu aussitôt : « Peut-on savoir de quoi vous étiez en train de parler, si ce n'est pas indiscret ? » s'exclama-t-il. Je ne répondis pas. « Excusez mon impolitesse, je ne me suis pas présenté. Mon nom complet est Norbert Episode. Vous êtes Robfrontalière, je présume ? » Aucun de ses propos ne m'inspirait confiance. Je décidai une nouvelle fois de ne pas répondre. « Hmm... je vois, dit-il. Je comprends que vous vouliez garder le secret à propos de votre identité. En ce qui me concerne, je reste très souvent évasif au sujet de ma profession. Il est vrai qu'elle n'est pas ordinaire. Je ne vais pas en dévoiler d'avantage, mais sachez qu'elle consiste en une réception d'appels et en une série d'interventions sur le terrain. » J'avais un très mauvais pressentiment. « C'est du Glühwein, que vous buvez ? » reprit-il. Je hochai la tête. « Vous savez, j'ai dans ma poche un sachet de poudre dont le goût se marie à merveille avec le Glühwein, videz-le dans votre verre. » m'ordonna-t-il. Je m'exécutai. « Bien, je dois à présent partir. » dit-il en partant. C'est seulement le surlendemain que je compris ce qui s'était passé. Ma gorge douloureuse et mon front brûlant, je retournais son identité dans tous les sens : « Norbert Episode, Norbert Episode, Norbert Episode... Eurêka ! Norbert Episode est en fait une anagramme d'"Espion de Robert"... » J'avais été manipulé.
J'aurai aimé pouvoir parler de cet album, mais je n'ai malheureusement rien écouté, et pour cause: j'étais beaucoup trop concentré sur la langue absolument immense arborée par Gene Clark sur cet album. Une bien belle évolution physique pour l'ennemi de toujours de Cat Stevens, affaire à suivre.
Detroit Rock City is a great movie, so they get an extra star
A strong Kias album that builds on their reputation as hard rock kings. Adds the wrinkle of a beautiful and highly successful balad in Beth. 3.5 🌟
Overall pretty good. Some snoozers though
5/10 . nothing crazy
It's Kiss. Schlock, cock rock with terrible painted faces. It's terrible but kind of great at the same time. Best Tracks: Shout It Out Loud; Beth; Do You Love Me?
Just the kind of music you'd have playing in the background in a rock bar. Not bad and solidly played, fun enough for in the background when you're having drinks with friends. Not nearly interesting enough for me to listen to for its own sake. Cookie-cutter classic, I guess.
Heavy metal ñoño. Para mí no llega a ser heavy metal. Se aproxima más a baladas pop.
Good fun, nothing special
I am looking forward to this. I have NEVER listend to an entire KISS album. I have seen them in concert, and I have heard many of their songs, but an actual album will be interesting. I also want to read up on them because, like how the HELL did a band like this even come to be? Detroit Rock City - Definitely heard this one. Classic rock sound all over. Big, big, big rock song. The album is as kitchy as they band. I mean, they love themselves so much. They embody the rockstar mentality on every song. Every song is so full of ego, it's insane. Beth is a clear outlier. A piano ballad amongst just boys club debaucherously male fantasy songs. Anyway, it's a crisp, clear rock album that does NOT overstay its welcome. 10 songs, 3 minutes a piece and we're out.
Rock suave. Un poco aburrido.
A bit too cheesy 70s rock for me, but pretty decent (or average) rock n roll album
Surprisingly not as bad as I thought it would be.
Okay I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about a fucking KISS album but it was only 30 minutes long so I gave it a shot. Honestly, it kind of slapped. Also, didn't realize the song Paul Rudd sings at the end of Role Models to his love interest Beth was the song "Beth" off this album, nice to connect those dots.
Ahaha, here's one that takes me back. My brother had this album when I was a kid. Look at these guys. The costumes, the imagery, the grandeur, the pure RAWK of it all. It's impossible to listen to a KISS album without considering the whole package, because you're not supposed to. The music is the image is the music and it was designed that way, years before anyone knew about MTV. The problem is, if you take away the image, there's little to recommend. And I happen to like KISS, by the way. The album is fun and a time capsule for sure, but overall middling in quality. Weak tunes are held up by the stronger ones, glued together by the KISS-ness of the whole deal. "Detroit Rock City" is the true superstar of this album and it's pulling most of the weight here, while songs like "God of Thunder" and "Flaming Youth" are just kind of tagging along for the ride. "Shout It Out Loud" and "Do You Love Me" are fun, likeable '70s rockers and "Beth" is a sweet power ballad that should have closed out the whole album. Musically, the album is good enough, with riffs galore. Paul and Gene make for an interesting pair of contrasting leads. Yet they never really pull it together and half the songs fall flat. The lyrics are as shallow as you might expect, but no one comes to KISS looking for great lyrics. In that respect, I guess Destroyer delivers. Bet it sounded rad live. Fave songs: Detroit Rock City, Shout It Out Loud, Beth
Gene Simmons is a tool. Just listen to his interview with Terry Gross of Fresh Air. Musically, it's ok. Nothing crazy to listen to, they are a live band experience for sure.
God of thundderrr
Kiss on kyllä yhtye jonka musiikki toimii paremmin joko livenä tai näköradiossa. Pelkällä äänellä levy on kovin keskinkertainen eikä kummemmin koveta.
Solidia rokkia, mut KISS ei oo oikeen ikinä ollu mulle mikään juttu
kiss and tell
I have never been a huge KISS fan and this doesn't exactly seem like their best. Again, I don't know because I don't listen often. But if this is their best I wonder why they have so many fans. It is a solid but forgettable 70's rock album to me.
Funny how at the time their whole schtick was considered so scandalous and controversial, while in hindsight it’s just kinda corny. Liked the album, it was fun, not great.
What’s not to enjoy about KISS
MEH
uhhh, good pop hard rock, some pretty rough lyrics, no small amount of male prowess and misogyny but I suppose that’s the genre? it’s KISS it’s classic rock and Beth is still a fine tune.
Solid rock and roll album.
Kiss not my cup of tea. Had a banger on there though in shout.
I only know 2 songs by Kiss and never heard anything else, so I'm curious how a full album will sound. First songs are really strong, but it kind of fizzles off in the half. Definitely not my favourite when it comes to rock or metal.
Being honest, this hasn't aged well... but it's still a lot of fun.
I thought kiss did death metal when i was a kid. Banger love songs lang pala
Surprisingly fun for such a famous record. A lot about sex though so idk. But at least the recording quality is great and it's just -fun-
KISS is a weird and polarizing band. There aren’t many bands that I have heard people talk about in such extremes. So many people love them, but a great amount hate them too. I, myself, never really listened to them much. I had heard their super popular singles like “Detroit Rock City” and “Rock and Roll All Night”, but that was about it. This was my first full length album of theirs and it was a weird experience to say the least. It started off strong with “Detroit Rock City” and “King of the Night Time World”. Then, it took a huge dive with God of Thunder, and despite songs like “Sweet Pain” not being horrible, it still didn’t quite recover until “Shout it Out Loud”. After that, “Beth” was fantastic, but “Do You Love Me” didn’t do it for me. I don’t even really know the point of “Rock and Roll Party”. It was weird and didn’t add anything at all except waste a minute of my time. So a couple fantastic songs, one or two okay songs, and a good chunk of material that was either bad or pointless. Like I said, weird album from a weird band. All in all, 3/5.
Definitely one of the best KISS albums. Fun one to drive to
This is some hilariously over-the-top party rock, but you gotta love "Detroit Rock City" and "Beth". It really doesn't beg for re-listens, probably best to just pick out those songs and move on. Really a 2.5 for me but rounding up because they are just so iconic.
There wasn't any particular songs that stood out for me, and some songs are a bit cringy. But overall ok and I imagine it would be great to see live.
Great album but loses a mark for great expectations
Some good tracks - opener is brilliant
Decent, nothing more.
Production: 8/20 Songwriting: 10/20 Innovation: 8/20 Bangers: 5/20 Emotional response: 11/20 =42 Barely even a 3! I would have expected more bangers from Kiss!
A short rock and roll album. Detroit Rock City is a great song. 2RS
It’s kiss. But I’m not really into kids much
"It's so sad, livin' at home" (KIng of the Night Time World) ¿Me pondría a escuchar discos de KISS por voluntad propia? No. ¿Pero me lo paso bien cuando cuadra y lo hago? Totalmente.
3/5
Some cool songs but a bit boring for me. Might be better at a live concert or something. Production was nice.
Not the best KISS album. Decent though.
KISS can produce hits and duds all in one album, luckily this album covers 5-6 of their most iconic songs. This band is just not as good on studio albums, but their guitar riffs come shining through. This album suffers from a bad mix and weird decisions (school kid sounds in God of Thunder). Stand-Outs: Detroit Rock City, Beth, Do You Love Me
Memories of early teenage years!
Vapid
Did the boys dress up to record this in the studio? There’s a lot to be said about KISS but 99% of the allure is the pageantry and groupthink—the music always took a backseat unless we’re talking about “Deuce” but that’s not on this album. 3 keepers in 10 (30%). 1 klunker (10%). 2 stars.
HEY! HEY! KIDS it's the rock equivalent of Krusty the Klown! Gene Simmons even looks like him, complete with all the clown make-up. They all do! Merchandising is the key, here. Entertaining you is their goal, also. The music seems secondary. All your favorite rock bands LOVE Kiss. Do you know why that is? Reputation. Parents HATED them! All because of stupid ass rumors that made them seem more Dangerous than they actually were. Rumors, facts & opinions such as: -KISS stands for Knights In Satan's Service. - Satanic messages in their music. -The car accident story in Detroit Rock City. -The double S in KISS looks strikingly similar to the SS symbol. (I believe some of members are Jewish) -Gene's tongue is actually a cow's tongue sewn to his tongue to make it bigger. -Had a Marvel comic printed in their own blood. -One of them looks like a Kitty! -Another called Starchild. -Gene is The Demon, because, of course, he is. -The make-up is there for a reason. Yikes -You, too, can be buried in a KISS coffin! It's ok. All favorite sports teams do it, too! All these parents had to do was listen to the music & realize the ridiculousness of the music. Which is all style and little to no substance. Just songs about getting girls & being or seeming cool. Are the songs catchy? They can be. There's no denying it It's just so schlocky! (Like Do You Love Me) And only after getting a buck & a fuck. AC/DC Lite. I hate Beth. I look forward to meeting hologram Gene Simmons in the future. At least he won't grab my wife's ass. If you take away all their bells & whistles, you get their Unplugged album, which sucks more than a Kiss groupie.
is this...camp?
Apart from jamming on rock band with my Uni housemates - I am only tangentially aware of Kiss. Although I understand they were massive at the time. _______________ A lot of the tracks have a cinematic and dramatic quality emphasized by the colourful production. Obviously this shock rock has lost it's lustre many years later. The instrumentation is basic, particularly the drums and the vocals are inconsistent as hell. Several tracks wear their influence openly to the point it feels like parody. Still it has a few stomping tracks that drag it out of 1*. First impressions 1) Stomping glam rock 4* 2) Forgettable 1* 3) Black Sabbath tribute, kinda rocks 4* 4) Queen? Terrible. 0* (Good choir though) 5) Country Rock pretending to be punk. 1* 6) Rolling stones? Ok solo. 2* 7) Jangly rock - Elton is that you? 3* 8) Piano driven soppy song with horns and flute/strings. Session musicians outshine the band, let's go. 3* 9) Back to stompy glam bragging. Terrible chorus. 1* 10) Spacey outro N/A
I don’t consider KISS as a true rock band. They exude the vibe of theater kids, hence the make up. It just felt like I was looking at and listening to characters more than traditional musicians. That being said, I’m not a fan of anything except the song “Rock n’ Roll All Nite.” So this gets a 2 for me
++: Sweet Pain, Shout It Out Loud +: King of the Night Time World, Great Expectations, Flaming Youth, Do You Love Me +-: Detroit Rock City, God of Thunder, Beth -: Rock and Roll Party 4,9/10
The first commercialy succesful studio album. OK.
Tamt, fruktansvärt svaga texter, förvånande dåligt imo
Я не те щоб хейтер кісів, але мені в цілому ніколи не подобався гурт. Була в них здібність писати хітові композиціі. Тут теж таких декілька є. Особливо загальне враження від альбому не витягує
I won’t hate on it as much as some people on this site, but I do have to agree this album was just kind of bland. Detroit Rock City has a nice lick to it, but overall it is really kind of forgettable. I guess the fun was all in their stage getup and live performances.
Album 292. Destroyer (https://open.spotify.com/album/59plsPcJYFlSA5ImekNQJ0?si=w3A2U6RBRI6_igSbtU1uRg&utm_source=copy-link) — KISS (1976) I want to take the Fifth. Well, I didn’t expect anything else and nothing more from KISS. It was not awful and at least I'm thankful for that. It's not that bad, really. I don't even know how much sarcasm condiment in this text 2/5 Liked: — Detroit Rock City
..
2 good good songs.
Pretty cool, mostly.
I’ll give it one extra star for Detroit rock city, but nothing else for whatever I just listened to.
Not excited about this one.
That was lame and tame. The Sweet and Alice Cooper were so much better at this type of glam. At least it was only 35 minutes long
Forskellen på hvordan de lyder og hvordan de ser ud er så stor. Dårlig sanger
De ser satme mere metal ud end musikken kalder på
Some great songs, but overall below mid...
Clearly I lack the ability to turn off analysis and inhibitions to enjoy simplistic and fun music. Maybe if I had that quality I would have enjoyed 1980s teen comedies, Chris Farley, Weird Al and KISS. If I can miss the depth of sophisticated literature, paintings, movies and song lyrics, then perhaps I cannot get the teen-level romp of KISS. What does it mean that I prefer the Spinal Tap to one of the groups they parodied? Taking the time for a song vs. song comparison would give too much thought for this record. But Spinal Tap definitely has better riffs, hooks and lyrics than this “real album.” For instance, one of the better songs on Destroyer is “God of Thunder.” I’d take Tap’s “Heavy Duty.” KISS’s ode to life on the road, “Do You Love Me,” cannot match “Sex Farm” and “Big Bottom.” The joys and deviltry of rock are better seen in “Rock and Roll Creation” and “Hell Hole.” The group lacks any real interplay as power chords, drum fill and solos seem cut and pasted. The production pushes a particular aspect up into the mix perhaps due to the band’s lack of real ability. Credit to the band and producer Bob Ezrin for creating choruses that fit with basketball stadiums, but devoid of anything memorable besides a bad ear worm. The hit ballad “Beth” provides a respite from the formula without turning out anything worthwhile. Maybe they will have a song or two to reach guilty pleasure status. Frankly, I do not expect to turn the corner with KISS in the future.
Confessions of a former KISS fan. Look, I was in 4th grade, it was what my friends were listening to, and the lyrics are so simple and easy to memorize, perfect for a little brain not yet fully developed. I think I outgrew them in about grade 5 or 6. I look at KISS with nostalgia now. They were part of my childhood, but they're like if Spinal Tap took themselves seriously. And yeah, they really did dress like that.
This album is just barely listenable to be mid instead of actually frustrating to listen to. I've never really been a KISS fan, I've always found them schticky and annoying, and I'm really glad to find out that I was 100% right. I firmly believe they would've been lost to the sands of time if it wasn't for the makeup and the show. They have never really made anything worth remembering, they were just early on the glam train. Insufferable stuff really. Favorites: Detroit Rock City, Great Expectations
Скучный рок
There is no way this would get higher than a 2. It gets that score for entertainment value alone. I don’t know who needs to read this but holy shit Kiss sucks. I guess i can see why it’s here though? Like, i GUESS you need representation for this kind of sound. As in, a pretty bad one.
I love the Detroit Rock City movie, but the concert at the end must have been the dullest part of their journey, because KISS kind of sucks.
I was already familiar with Kiss and probably have even heard this full album once or twice. It has its moments as a rock album but overall is not particularly remarkable. Detroit Rock City is probably the best song on here, so if I wanted to hear that song, I'd probably prefer to listen to just that and skip the full album. I would listen again but would not go out of my way for it.
Even when I was twelve and thought Kiss was cool, I always thought their studio albums were garbage. Poorly written songs played by poor musicians.
*1976. *I like KISS a little more than a thought, which is to say, some of the songs were fine. *This is only 34 minutes, but I was ready to skip most tracks after 90 secs. *Beth and Detroit Rock City are the only songs I knew. *It's kinda fun, but a little goes a VERY long way. RATING - 5.5/10
Big fat meh
Was not quite what I expected, as it was different with various styles. I was expecting a bit more.
Maybe I just expected more, but was very underwhelmed by album. Outfits & makeup much more interesting than the actual album
Very safe rock music. I don't hate listening to it by any means, but I'd never come back to it. Nothing all that interesting here Favorite Songs: Detroit Rock City, God of Thunder
I feel like this album should only exist in popular consciousness in an alternate world where Bill and Ted are the arbiters of taste. Occasionally, they stumble upon something that is catchy for a few bars in a spinal tap way. Mostly abhorrent.
Always thought of KISS as more theatrical than musical, this kinda confirms it.
Meh.
Number: 1983 Familiarity: well-versed (4) Rating: 2 Not a fan of KISS, though I did like them a little at the time this album came out. Most of the album is laughably bad.
They can't all be Love Gun. Some of these songs are worse than I expected. The song Great Expectations is really, really terrible.
Uh oh we've got a premier beer-chugging album on our hands. "Detroit Rock City" is most memorable for it's placement in the bad guy montage in "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" imo. Little fun fact, the beginning of "God Of Thunder" is sampled as is to begin Avicii's "Shame On Me". I think I like the Avicii track more. God of Thunder is so clunky, the singing is horrifying at points. I know it all makes sense with the visuals and the live show, but the audio alone is hackish at best. "Great Expectations" continues that dreadful, campy delivery - this time with eye-rolling lyrics. I get it, this music isn't to be taken more than gimmicky party music, but damn. A clever composition on the outro can't save this one. Now "Beth", that's an interesting one. Dramatic and tender if only for a moment. Still a goofy lyrical subject matter, but a unique one at that. But to deny oneself of a Beth singalong is to deny oneself of a little joy. Album that are so ambitious-yet-soulless make me grasp the roots and appeal of punk music a lot more. Just go listen to Meatloaf 2/5
Never listened to them before. The album started promisingly but got more and more excruciatingly and painfully naff. The lyrics and choruses particularly mind numbing. I get the feeling that without the warpaint and live histrionics they would not be remembered at all. Fair play though, one of the finest exponents of style over substance to have lived. Sadly though I’m not giving them a point for that as I’m not willing to forgive the 30mins of boredom just inflicted.
The first Marketing firm to come out with music
Kiss is a band that I've never really liked. Destroyer is an album that has nothing interesting about it except for the cover. 2 stars
Kiss, you are ridiculous. And this album may be the pinnacle of makeup-era absurdity. An argument can be made for the appeal of earlier albums (the debut, Rock & Roll Over, Love Gun) for their simple, rock appeal. But here we go off the rails into pure silliness, and Kiss the cartoon characters are born.
A bit meh, no great riffs, no great songs, vocals are okay, derivative. Very one-note.
I've always found KISS ridiculous in their weird costumes. Some of their songs were pretty fun at teen parties. Other than that, the band wasn't to be taken seriously. And that's how I'd describe the album, too: ridiculous. 2/5
Favorite track(s): Detroit Rock City, God of Thunder
Never really listened to KISS.. if this is their sound, they’re severely overrated
It can take a two star and thank me for it. Fuck me this was dire. So so close to a 1.
Some fun tunes that struggle to mesh well in the modern age.
I was thinking that I should stand up when I listen to albums on this list to give myself the room to really feel the music and move around and whatnot if I want. This was a really poor album to start that trend with. It sounds so empty. There are a few interesting ideas, I guess. I liked whoever's kid that was saying their music was too loud on God of Thunder. I don't have a lot to say, but I sat back down pretty early on.
It’s always found it bizarre how many of my favorite musicians love KISS when they’re so wretchedly mediocre. I guess you had to be there. “Do You Love Me?” Is a pretty good song, though. I can see why Nirvana covered it.
Without the stage show, they're a bar band.
Holy absolute garbage. I had listened to and enjoyed Detroit Rock City many times. I never realized how horrible KISS is in full album format. I’m sure the live shows make up for some of it. But, my god, this sounds like it was written, played, and produced by a high school garage band. I mean there were times where I was doubting if they actually knew how to play their instruments. Detroit Rock City and shout it out loud get it an extra star. But I was shocked how mediocre this was.
I'd never listened to a full Kiss album before, but this is surprisingly bad. It's not heavy, and there's not a single good riff. The poppy stuff is eye-roll inducing, and the musicality is basic. The lyrics are also incredibly stupid. 1.5/5.0: Bad
the music was a bit stale but it was entertaining for the most part. i ended up liking this a lot more than i expected i would, i even considered a 3 at one point!
p360. 1976. 2 stars. Average, bland mid 70s US cartoon rock. Not awful, but not great either. Just because a band sells millions doesn't mean they're good, or deserve to be on this list. On the plus, it's short.
I will cop to a bit of nostalgia for the sound of this band because it's one of my dad's favourite bands, and KISS were my first proper concert back in 2013. That said, that is all I can give it, because good lord does this album suck. For such a notorious "hard rock" band, to the point where the contemporary media tried to paint them as being "Knights In Satan's Service", the music is quite honestly lethargic! It's slow, it has absolutely no grit to it, it sounds like it was pre-sanitized to optimize for radio play, which wouldn't be out of character for Gene fucking Simmons. By contrast, the lyrics are either pedestrian or over-the-top gross and sexual. Absolutely not one I'm gonna revisit.
Glam rock?! All my life I thought these were some heavy metal guys. Forgive my ignorance. It's horribly-dated glam rock at that, both in sound and lyrics. Detroit Rock City's bassline had me hopeful at the start, but it's all generic and forgettable from there. Quick note about their getup: everyone knows about the face paint, but Gene Simmons has those monster steppers ON. Shit's tuff. 🔥 Standout: Detroit Rock City
About what I’d expect from a band more known for their face paint than anything Detroit Rock City definitely doesn’t need that long to get into
Pretty dull tbh
KISS isn’t for me. Feels fake and soulless.
Detroit Rock City is solid, Shout It Out Loud is fine, and I have a weird fondness for Beth. The rest is terrible. I thought God of Thunder was going to be a weird outlier on an otherwise decent album but man it just doesn't get any better from there. Bad lyrics, annoying hooks, repetitive song structures, mediocre writing and execution across the board. I wanted to like this.
nobody needs to hear a KISS album before they die. You are not missing out on anything vital or irreplaceable. If you want scumbag rock you’re better served by the much, much more charming AC/DC. For arena rock you should be listening to The Scorpions, a band that deserves a place on this list way more than KISS. If the makeup does it for you go listen to GWAR. Hell, you’d be better served by unironically listening to the Spinal Tap discography. Nobody needs to listen to KISS! Even if we somehow ignore how the world would be a better place if Gene Simmons fell down a well there is absolutely nothing this band does that a dozen other bands don’t do better. Even their specific combination of those things is done better by much worse bands. This is the “good” KISS album and man the non-singles are dire. And what makes me angriest of all is I still might end up giving this a three because I’m weak to this kind of guitar rock and the singles are very competent hits. Probably a two though because the gulf between the singles and the album cuts is wiiiiiiiiide For real though why are we wasting our time on this instead of one of the solo Ozzy albums? We could have had Diary of a Madman in this spot
Album #162 Kiss: Destroyer KISS are undoubtedly one of the most recognizable and iconic bands of all-time, yet I feel like that is a title that they hold without anyone really still listening to their music. But that’s really their whole deal, isn’t it, style over substance. To those who grew up during their prime, they were a rebellious and forward-thinking band, and one many older folk hold in high regard. Yet amongst the youth, the prevailing sentiment is that they were a bunch of hacks who were good at marketing and played safe pop rock. I won’t lie, I expected my opinion to lie somewhere in the middle, since I do enjoy KISS somewhat from what I’ve heard; and by that I mean I like ‘I Was Made For Lovin’ You’ and don’t really know any other songs. Well, after listening to Destroyer, it really does seem like the Boomers were blinded by the lustre of the split tongue and cat face paint, because this thing stinks. After the first song, ‘Detroit Rock City,’ I was feeling optimistic, a song that I recognized, and, although nothing special, a fun pop-rock banger, which is all I really expected from KISS. However, pretty much every song after that was a complete snoozefest, of unimaginative and unengaging music. It really is just the most inoffensive ‘hard’ rock one can make, presumably the band just treating the music like a product, and their image as a business. Oh well, I understand its conclusion, and at least I can join in on the KISS hate now with a leg to stand on. Best Tracks: Detroit Rock City, Beth, King Of The Night Time World Worst Track: Great Expectations Score out of 10: 4.5
I didn't do much for me. I tapped my foot a few times and chanted along once or twice. Maybe a different Kiss album would be better.
I’ve tried many times with Kiss, but can never find my way there. It’s a me problem.
I did not like this. I did not hate this. This would have been enjoyable if I was born with minimal hearing. Beth was alright though.
Detroit Rock City’s shoulders must be tired from holding the rest of this album up. How did one of the best rock songs of all time end up front-lining an album of middling, juvenile tosh?
Appreciate it, but not my thing
Two decent songs. The rest were bad. Beth was a big song in junior high
Yeah not great. Maybe one good song
Hair metal is lowkey really funny
No thanks
Disappointing
detroit rock city riff: kicks ass rest of the album: sucks ass
Fine for OWM music.
This didn't age well
Two stars, only for Detroit Rock City. Afterwards it gets progressively worse. I do not like KISS overall.
Thank God it's short.
Nothing here is bad per se but it sure as hell is one of the most boring things to ever touch my ears, first song is good and the rest is the most forgettable thing ever
Kind of passed me by average, boring rock.
Meh
Groupe connu par le tube 'I Was Made for Lovin' You' qui passait souvent à la radio à l'époque de sa sortie. Il me semble avoir tenté ensuite de m'intéresser aux 'Alive' plus anciens, sans avoir vraiment accroché. Puis le groupe est complètement sorti de mes radars. C'est pareil pour cet album. Les deux premiers morceaux sont plutôt sympa (riffs essentiellement), puis après j'ai décroché. Les morceaux suivant ne sont pas assez dynamiques à mon gout. Ce rock très mou ne m'a pas marqué, je me suis ennuyé assez vite. Le pompon est pour 'Beth' et son orchestration pseudo-classique qui m'a fait baisser la note et m'a coupé toute envie d'écouter l'album une seconde fois. =>2/5
all sounds kinda the same to me
mad underwhelming. they have no song where they need to be doing allat. ts so tame and boring considering the aesthetics.
obviously i fw detroit rock city being from the detroit area but the rest is not for me, much love though.
this is not good. It's also funny how soft and plain it is vs what their reputation says and what their image portrays. it's not annoying but I don't need KISS in my music library.
The thing I love about these high school girls, I get older, and they always stay the same age.
Just a band I never got, and never really spent time giving their catalog a try. This one didn’t prove me wrong.
It's okay. I don't love it. Not sure I would listen on the radio (except Beth)
I honestly wasn't expecting to see KISS on this list. At least this one has what's probably their best song, Detroit Rock City. But man, Gene Simmons is trash at vocals. Even Peter Criss outshines him on this album and his song is only alright.
Always find KISS bland and uninspiring. Highlight of the album was the surprisingly tender Beth which stood out from the rest of the dull glam rock 4/10
Feels theatrical in a way that doesn’t really translate into substance. Big gestures, not much underneath.
An unholy bastard child of hard rock and glam, KISS are a self-parody. The first two tracks and Shout It Out Loud have better-than average riffs and performance, but it's not really enough to sustain a whole record full of silly pseudo-tough posturing and make-up-wearing posers. Alice Cooper did it first and did it way better. These idiots somehow simultaneously took it way too seriously and also half-assed everything just to cash in on an image calculated to create a whole cottage industry of dumb. Bob Ezrin's contribution here was to add in a heaping helping of inexplicable Meat Loaf theatrical epicness that just makes it a hot mess. Broadway musical music for drooling 70s metal kids. Perfect for lampooning in a mockumentary like Spinal Tap. Plodding drums anchor average rock riffs and by-the-numbers sneering vocals and lyrics.
Having not listened to a full KISS album before, I didn't know what to expect—but this wasn't it. I suppose I'm glad to have listened to it and to now be more enlightened, but I won't be returning to this.